Honoring three seniors who are as dedicated to academics and athletics as Kalle Coleman, Bailey Kemp and Mo Wolansky are is always a good thing.
However, it's even better when the honorees in question all produce themselves.
Coleman, who already had eight home runs on the season, popped two out of the ballpark in Game 1 while Wolansky brought in the first run of the game on a RBI double to allow Shawnee State to take a 5-2 victory over No. 24-ranked Cumberlands (Ky.) in Saturday's opener. The Bears fell to the Patriots in the second contest by the same margin.
Shawnee State, who won its sixth game of the year in conference competition, collected 11 hits between the two games -- including seven in Saturday's opening victory.
Game 1
Wolansky gets offense rolling early
Following the honoring of the seniors prior to the start of the doubleheader, Shawnee State senior infielder Mo Wolansky got the Bears out to an outstanding start.
With Kylie Ray on base following a leadoff single by the center fielder and a sacrifice bunt by Brittani Wolfenbarker that moved Ray over to second base, Wolansky followed the pair's efforts up with a lined shot that two-hopped past Cumberlands (Ky.)'s Emily Jasper to the left field fence, resulting in the game's first run, before adding in her second run later in the third frame on a groundball.
In Saturday's opener, Wolansky ultimately finished Game 1 by going 2-for-3 at the plate with her first inning double, the two RBI and a run scored in all.
Coleman hits pair of homers
Not to be outdone by her fellow teammate, Kalle Coleman begin her Senior Day with arguably her best career performance at Shawnee State.
Playing against a stacked Cumberlands lineup that is currently ranked No. 24 in the country, Coleman began the bottom half of the second frame by shooting a solo home run to left field off of Patriots' starter Kaci Goedde to put Shawnee State up by a 2-0 margin in a hurry.
Coleman, who essentially chased Goedde from the ball game with her homer, then made the Patriots pay for two earlier third inning miscues with Lindsey Shope in the ball game, as Coleman rocketed a two-run shot to right center field to cap off a three-run third frame that put the Bears in front by a 5-0 margin.
In Game 1, Coleman ultimately finished 2-for-2 with the two home runs, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk to head up the offense from the six-hole.
Spence pitches career game
Getting the doubleheader-opening start in Game 1 after showing strong tools Friday afternoon, Sydney Spence made good on the effort.
In fact, Spence, through four innings of work, had a no-hitter going as the freshman pitcher out of nearby Wheelersburg overcame six walks by striking out five Cumberlands batters at critical times during the contest. She ultimately allowed just two earned runs in the seventh frame while forcing eight flyouts and five groundouts en route to her first career collegiate victory, allowing only three hits in Game 1.
Game 2
In Game 2, Shawnee State continued to play sound softball but simply struggled to get the offense going, facing 1-2-3 innings in three of its seven frames in a 5-2 loss. Wolfenbarker brought Ray in on a sacrifice fly to give Shawnee State a 1-0 lead after the first inning of competition while Sunetrius Armstrong brought in Aleeya Adkins in the fifth inning on a RBI groundout to round out the Bears' scoring.
Seniors
No. 1 -- Bailey Kemp
A four-year letterwinner inside the Shawnee State softball program, Bailey Kemp has proven to be the ultimate teammate and representative during her time at SSU, playing in 64 games for the Bears in her career – including coming back from injury to play for SSU in 15 games, to date, this season.
For her Shawnee State career, Kemp has posted five doubles, nine RBI and sports a .954 fielding percentage, helping turn seven double-plays over the course of her time with the Bears.
Academically, Kemp is the owner of a 3.57 GPA with nearly 140 hours of academic credit to her name. She will graduate with a bachelor's degree in exercise science.
"Playing alongside these girls has been an experience I will never forget," Kemp said. "There is never a dull moment with them, and for that I am so thankful. Most importantly, they are more than just my teammates. We've formed friendships that I know go way beyond the softball field. I love you all forever, and I'm so thankful to have had them standing alongside me my senior year. I hope that when I'm gone that I have instilled in the rest of the team to never give up, and to always work hard even when you feel defeated. This is a special group of girls and I know they will accomplish anything that they put their mind to."
"I think that what I will miss most about my time here is the family atmosphere that Shawnee State has," Kemp continued. "Everyone has your back and is so supportive and that is something really special. Other than that, I will miss putting my cleats on and taking the field with the team. Thank you guys so much for a memorable four years. I am forever grateful."
No. 27 -- Kalle Coleman
A star member of the 2016 Division III State Championship program from Wheelersburg High School, Kalle Coleman is a two-year letterwinner at Shawnee State. Coleman started for two seasons in the infield at Morehead State before coming home to man the shortstop position for the final two seasons of her athletic career.
Not a stranger to producing big offensive numbers, Coleman has enjoyed a season where the senior infielder has already produced 10 home runs. For her career, Coleman has posted eight doubles, 11 home runs, and 24 RBI while scoring 26 runs. She's also stolen 10 bases in her 12 attempts on the basepaths.
Academically, Coleman will graduate with high honors, having achieved a 3.97 GPA in the classroom with over 105 hours of academic credit to this point. She will graduate with a bachelor's degree in accounting.
"These girls are so talented and I love the bond that I've made with them during the last two years," Coleman said. "Coming in as a transfer, they welcomed me with open arms and I feel like I've established life-long friendships. Attending Shawnee State has allowed me to be closer to home and play at the collegiate level in front of my family and friends while earning my bachelor's degree in accounting. I will miss the game of softball and the friendships I've made while playing the most at Shawnee State."
No. 33 -- Mo Wolansky
A four-year starter for Shawnee State in the infield, Mo Wolansky has been a critical piece to each of Shawnee State's 65 wins on the softball diamond in those four years.
The 2021 season, however, has arguably proven to be her best from an individual standpoint.
As a whole, Wolansky has raised her batting average by a full 85 points from last year, and along with a .325 batting average, has a home run and 10 RBI to her credit. She has 20 doubles and 42 RBI for her career in 108 games played.
Over the past two weeks, Wolansky has arguably played her best softball since arriving at Shawnee State, hitting .727 in an away series against Georgetown while hitting over .580 in an away series against Thomas More.
"My teammates have become some of my best friends and I am so grateful that softball has brought me closer to them," Wolansky said. "They are just so fun to be around on and off the field. "I will definitely miss my team the most. I could not have asked for a better group of girls to spend my last year at Shawnee with, including all the ups and downs we have gone through together (including 6 a.m.'s). Shawnee State has been such a great experience for me as it has allowed me to continue to play my favorite sport along with continuing my education in such an amazing atmosphere."
Additional/NEXT UP
Shawnee State is scheduled to play a nonconference doubleheader against Rio Grande in what will be its final contests of the regular season Tuesday evening. The games will be held in Portsmouth.
For more information on SSU Bears Athletics, visit www.ssubears.com or visit the Twitter and Facebook pages at https://twitter.com/SSUBears and https://www.facebook.com/SSUBears. For more information on how to join the SSU Bear Club or for sponsorship of specific SSU players or events, visit https://givetossu.com/bear-club and https://givetossu.com/sponsorthebears.
